IT Technology Unifies Images, Data, and Reporting Workflows Throughout Hospital Enterprise
|
By HospiMedica International staff writers Posted on 31 Jul 2014 |
|
A new integrated information technology (IT) system will unify images, data, and reporting workflows across all imaging departments in a hospital. The technology will allow hospitals to expand towards the latest, advanced imaging technology platform.
Az Groeninge Hospital (Kortrijk, Belgium) has chosen to replace its existing third-party picture archiving and communication system (PACS) with a comprehensive Impax radiology information system (RIS)/PACS/reporting solution. Agfa HealthCare (Mortsel, Belgium) will provide all hardware (excluding the storage) and will manage both hardware and software, under an Agfa HealthCare system management agreement.
Az Groeninge is a large regional hospital and is affiliated with the KU Leuven Hospital network. It is the result of a merger of four hospitals in Kortrijk. With over 1,000 beds, it is one of the largest hospitals in Belgium. Annually, it admits some 35,000 inpatients and some 47,500 outpatients. Az Groeninge is the first nonuniversity hospital in the Benelux to obtain the high level international Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation for patient safety and quality of healthcare (2013). It is also focused on always maintaining the latest and most innovative technology.
The hospital chose to implement the Impax RIS/PACS/reporting solution. The Az Groeninge/Agfa HealthCare agreement includes: Impax RIS/PACS workflow system for data management and reporting. It will be implemented for all imaging departments, in a hospital-wide solution. The existing Impax RIS will also be upgraded to the latest version. Clinical applications include: tight integration with Impax provides point-of-care access to clinical applications such as Fusion and 3D (three-dimensions), supporting, e.g., the positron emission tomography (PET) imaging department with the most advanced technology.
The ICIS (imaging clinical information system) View enables enhanced viewing, sharing, and integration across platforms, with all images from all sources accessible on a single browser-based viewer. The ICIS vendor-neutral archive (VNA) allows integrated archiving of multidepartment, multifacility, and multispecialty imaging data.
The Impax BI is an advanced business intelligence (BI) platform that facilitates healthcare managers and care providers to compile, organize and manage clinical, quality, financial and administrative data. The hospital will continue to use the existing Agfa HealthCare web portal to exchange information with external referring physicians.
Agfa HealthCare will manage both software and hardware under the agreement. This will include monitoring the availability and performance of the local network, server hardware, local network, and operating systems; database management; and backup management. “We were convinced to extend our relationship with Agfa HealthCare not only due to the quality of its solutions, but especially to the strength and availability of its service and support,” comments Dr. Olivier Vanovermeire, head of medical imaging, Az Groeninge. “Agfa HealthCare is a company with a solid structure and proven expertise in medical imaging. And it is a reliable partner in our market, which is important for the future.”
“We are very pleased to have this opportunity to further strengthen our relationship with Az Groeninge, supporting its evolution with our enterprise-wide solutions, as well as our services and support organization,” stated Hans Vandewyngaerde, president, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) at Agfa HealthCare.
Related Links:
Az Groeninge Hospital
Agfa HealthCare
Az Groeninge Hospital (Kortrijk, Belgium) has chosen to replace its existing third-party picture archiving and communication system (PACS) with a comprehensive Impax radiology information system (RIS)/PACS/reporting solution. Agfa HealthCare (Mortsel, Belgium) will provide all hardware (excluding the storage) and will manage both hardware and software, under an Agfa HealthCare system management agreement.
Az Groeninge is a large regional hospital and is affiliated with the KU Leuven Hospital network. It is the result of a merger of four hospitals in Kortrijk. With over 1,000 beds, it is one of the largest hospitals in Belgium. Annually, it admits some 35,000 inpatients and some 47,500 outpatients. Az Groeninge is the first nonuniversity hospital in the Benelux to obtain the high level international Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation for patient safety and quality of healthcare (2013). It is also focused on always maintaining the latest and most innovative technology.
The hospital chose to implement the Impax RIS/PACS/reporting solution. The Az Groeninge/Agfa HealthCare agreement includes: Impax RIS/PACS workflow system for data management and reporting. It will be implemented for all imaging departments, in a hospital-wide solution. The existing Impax RIS will also be upgraded to the latest version. Clinical applications include: tight integration with Impax provides point-of-care access to clinical applications such as Fusion and 3D (three-dimensions), supporting, e.g., the positron emission tomography (PET) imaging department with the most advanced technology.
The ICIS (imaging clinical information system) View enables enhanced viewing, sharing, and integration across platforms, with all images from all sources accessible on a single browser-based viewer. The ICIS vendor-neutral archive (VNA) allows integrated archiving of multidepartment, multifacility, and multispecialty imaging data.
The Impax BI is an advanced business intelligence (BI) platform that facilitates healthcare managers and care providers to compile, organize and manage clinical, quality, financial and administrative data. The hospital will continue to use the existing Agfa HealthCare web portal to exchange information with external referring physicians.
Agfa HealthCare will manage both software and hardware under the agreement. This will include monitoring the availability and performance of the local network, server hardware, local network, and operating systems; database management; and backup management. “We were convinced to extend our relationship with Agfa HealthCare not only due to the quality of its solutions, but especially to the strength and availability of its service and support,” comments Dr. Olivier Vanovermeire, head of medical imaging, Az Groeninge. “Agfa HealthCare is a company with a solid structure and proven expertise in medical imaging. And it is a reliable partner in our market, which is important for the future.”
“We are very pleased to have this opportunity to further strengthen our relationship with Az Groeninge, supporting its evolution with our enterprise-wide solutions, as well as our services and support organization,” stated Hans Vandewyngaerde, president, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) at Agfa HealthCare.
Related Links:
Az Groeninge Hospital
Agfa HealthCare
Gold Member
STI Test
Vivalytic Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Array
Hybrid Arch Device
Neo EDE
Gas Analyzer
GE SAM
Latest Health IT News
- Imaging Tool Quantifies Calcinosis Cutis Volume to Monitor Treatment
- Digital Symptom Monitoring Supports More Personalized Breast Cancer Care
- Short Digital Training Program Improves Motor Function in Parkinson’s Disease
- New Cloud Platform Streamlines Capsule Endoscopy Workflow and Reporting
- Smartwatch Monitoring Identifies Abnormal Vital Signs Before Routine Checks
- Weekly Remote Symptom Monitoring Improves Symptom Control in Advanced Cancer
- Digital Heart Model Supports Targeted Ablation in Atrial Fibrillation
- AI Framework Helps Clinicians Create Trustworthy Risk Prediction Tools
- AI Tool Screens for Primary Aldosteronism Using Routine EHR Data
- AI-Enabled ECG Software Predicts One-Year Atrial Fibrillation Risk
- AI-Native EHR Achieves EU Medical Device Certification
- EHR-Integrated Screening Workflow Detects Cognitive Impairment at Admission
- AI System Detects and Quantifies Chronic Subdural Hematoma
- Continuous Monitoring Platform Detects Infection Risk Across Care Transitions
- Automated System Classifies and Tracks Cardiogenic Shock Across Hospital Settings
- Voice-Driven AI System Enables Structured GI Procedure Documentation
Channels
Artificial Intelligence
view channel
AI Tool Predicts Post-Heart Attack Trajectories to Personalize Follow-Up
Acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) survivors often develop new comorbidities and complications that unfold over years. Predicting which patients will deteriorate and where problems will arise remains... Read more
AI Digital Twin Platform Supports Personalized Cancer Treatment
Oncology teams face persistent challenges in tailoring treatment plans as tumors evolve and responses vary across patients. Static snapshots from imaging or genomics offer limited guidance for complex... Read more
Study Reveals Persistent Race and Gender Bias in Medical AI Models
Hospitals are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to draft clinical materials and support decision-making, yet algorithmic bias can entrench inequities in care. When generated content reflects racial... Read more
New Study Highlights Benefits and Risks of AI Explanations in Clinical Diagnosis
Explainable artificial intelligence is increasingly used in tools that help clinicians and patients assess skin disease, but its explanations can influence decisions and contribute to overreliance or error.... Read moreCritical Care
view channel
New Multimodal Framework Targets Debilitating Form of Heart Failure
Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) occurs when the left ventricle becomes stiff and thickened despite maintaining a normal ejection fraction. The condition is increasingly common with... Read more
Personalized Neuromodulation System Receives FDA Clearance for PTSD Treatment
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a trauma-related mental health condition marked by persistent reexperiencing, hyperarousal, and avoidance that can impair daily functioning. Many patients, including... Read more
Surgical Techniques
view channel
Robot-Assisted Surgery Shows Advantages Over Laparoscopy in Gastric Cancer
Gastric cancer is most often treated with surgery, yet minimally invasive techniques can be technically challenging. Laparoscopic gastrectomy reduces recovery time compared with open surgery but relies... Read more
New Implant-Based System Gains FDA Approval for GERD Treatment
Gastroesophageal reflux disease is often treated surgically with techniques that encircle the esophagus, a strategy associated with dysphagia, inability to belch or vomit, and gas bloating.... Read more
Patient Care
view channel
Multicenter Study Quantifies Delays in Care for Emergency Department Boarders
Emergency department (ED) boarding—the practice of keeping admitted patients in the ED while awaiting an inpatient bed—creates hazardous delays in definitive care. Prolonged transitions expose older and... Read more
Real-Time Radiation Monitor Supports Safer Fluoroscopy-Guided Procedures
Fluoroscopy-guided procedures expose clinicians to scatter radiation that accumulates over time, creating persistent occupational risks in cath labs and interventional suites. Traditional badges typically... Read more
Health IT
view channel
Imaging Tool Quantifies Calcinosis Cutis Volume to Monitor Treatment
Calcinosis cutis involves calcium deposits in the skin or soft tissues that can develop anywhere in the body, causing pain, impaired mobility, and disability. Lesions along the spine or buttocks can make... Read more
Digital Symptom Monitoring Supports More Personalized Breast Cancer Care
Metastatic breast cancer, in which tumors spread to other organs, is incurable but increasingly managed with modern systemic therapies. As more treatments shift from hospital infusions to oral or at-home... Read more
Point of Care
view channel
Ultrathin Metasurface Could Bring Quantitative Phase Imaging to Portable Devices
Point-of-care imaging often depends on bulky optical systems that have difficulty visualizing nearly transparent cells and tissues without staining. These limitations can slow diagnosis and restrict use... Read more
Rapid Onsite Testing Reduces Emergency Department Transfers in Long-Term Care
Respiratory infections in long-term care residents frequently trigger emergency department transfers that strain hospital capacity and expose frail patients to additional risks. Turnaround delays from... Read more
Business
view channel
Teledyne to Acquire Varex Imaging in $1.1 Billion Deal
Teledyne Technologies and Varex Imaging Corporation announced a definitive agreement on August 10, 2026, under which Teledyne will acquire all outstanding common shares of Varex for USD 18.... Read more
